Just as the Turtles were beginning to get used to their new forms—Leo as a Saiyan and the others as humans—a faint sound echoed from the lair's entrance. The metallic clank of footsteps resonated through the tunnels. In walked **April O'Neil**, bundled in a red scarf and her signature yellow jacket, her eyes wide with confusion as she noticed something very different about the brothers.
"Guys...?" April's voice trailed off as she took in the sight before her. "What... what happened to you?"
Mikey, ever the one to lighten the mood, threw his arms out dramatically. "April, check it out! We're human now, dude! And Leo's a Saiyan!" He pointed proudly at his now human chest, while Leo awkwardly shifted, still adjusting to the tail around his waist.
April blinked several times, struggling to wrap her mind around the situation. "Human? And—wait, what? Leo's a Saiyan?" She took a step closer, her eyes darting between the brothers, and then to Master Splinter, who was now an elderly man. "Okay, this is officially the strangest Christmas ever."
"Tell me about it," Raph grumbled, crossing his muscular arms, clearly frustrated with the situation. "Some jerk named Frieza messed with us while we were sleeping."
April shook her head, still in disbelief. "Frieza? Isn't that the bad guy from—"
Before she could finish, the sound of footsteps—quicker and heavier this time—suddenly filled the lair. The air around them seemed to grow colder, and the lights flickered briefly as a shadowed figure darted into view.
The figure stopped at the far end of the lair, crossing his arms and narrowing his red eyes at the group. It was none other than **Shadow the Hedgehog**, his sleek black quills framing his intense expression. He stepped forward from the darkness, scanning the room with a look of mild disdain.
"I heard about the chaos happening here," Shadow said coolly, his voice low and sharp. "Looks like things are even more out of control than I thought."
Mikey gasped and immediately ran up to Shadow, eyes wide with excitement. "Dude! It's Shadow! The ultimate life form himself!" He pumped his fist in the air. "Man, this is the best Christmas ever! Sonic was just here, and now you show up? Epic!"
Shadow, unamused, glanced at Mikey before shifting his gaze to Leo. He seemed to sense the change in Leo's energy and the unfamiliar power surging within him. "Something's different about you."
Leo straightened, his tail instinctively tightening around his waist. He could feel the weight of Shadow's scrutiny and nodded slowly. "Yeah... I think I'm a Saiyan now. Frieza did something to us, and it changed all of us—especially me."
Shadow's eyes narrowed as he took a step closer to Leo, the tension in the room building. "Frieza, huh?" He spoke the name with clear disdain. "That meddling idiot. If he's involved, things are bound to get worse."
April, still standing by the side, raised an eyebrow at Shadow. "Wait, you know Frieza?"
Shadow nodded, keeping his gaze on Leo. "More than I'd like to. His chaos spreads across more than one world. If he's messed with you, then you're in for a lot more trouble."
Splinter, still calm despite the mounting tension, finally spoke. "Then it seems we have a common enemy. Frieza's power is dangerous, and now, more than ever, we must be prepared."
Leo clenched his fist, feeling the newfound strength pulsing through his veins. "I don't care what Frieza's done. I'll fight whatever comes our way. I won't let him get the upper hand."
Shadow smirked slightly, just enough to show a hint of respect. "Hmph. Brave words for a new Saiyan." He turned to face the group, his expression softening just a little. "But you'll need more than just courage to face Frieza. I'm in."
Mikey's eyes lit up again. "Shadow teaming up with us? Man, Christmas just keeps getting better!"
April, still shaking her head in disbelief, stepped forward. "I'm just trying to keep up here. So... what's the plan now? Because if Frieza's involved, we're going to need all the help we can get."
Leo looked at each of them—his brothers, April, Splinter, Shadow—and nodded, determination in his eyes. "First, we need to figure out how to control these new forms. After that... we'll find Frieza and put an end to whatever he's planning."
Shadow crossed his arms, a gleam of intensity flashing in his eyes. "Good. Then let's get started."
As the group stood together, a strange new alliance forming, the Turtles knew this Christmas would be unlike any other. With Leo's newfound Saiyan power, and the addition of Shadow and Master Roshi, they were ready to face whatever lay ahead—even Frieza himself.
